Garden of Eden for food lovers

TASSIE CROCKER’S quietly-spoken nature belies the fact the 23-year-old former chef is passionate and driven about creating what is believed to be the region’s first edible nursery.

He took over the Clunes Nursery on the outskirts of the village on Bangalow Road about nine months ago and has already transformed it.

“I want to bring food to the people – edible plants so they can feed themselves from the garden as nature intended.”

While the nursery is still expanding its range, it offers a large selection of herbs, vegetables and fruit trees, including so-called “super foods” such as the vitamin-rich Goji berry trees.

“At the end of the day I want a market garden out the back and to sell the produce in the store,” he said.

Mr Crocker learnt about the nutritional and medicinal plants at the feet of his parents.

His father was a doctor and a herbalist, while his mother was an organic gardener.

“My mother used to tell me you can’t go into the cupboard, but you can take whatever you like from the garden. So as a kid I would be always looking around for different plants I could eat – things that I could go and feast on.”